How to Drive a Mommy Crazy

Here is a story that perfectly illustrates the nature of a three-year-old, or at least my three-year-old. On our walk tonight I started talking to Nicholas about rhyming words, which we have discussed a number of times before. I would say three words, two of which rhymed, and he was to choose the two that rhymed.

Me: "Top...Car...Mop"
Him: "Car and Top"
Me: "No, that's not right. Are you sure you understand what rhyming words are? They're words that sound the same...Toooop and Moooop (enunciating the sound). Caaaar and Toooop...do they sound the same to you?"
Him: "Yes"
Me: "No. Okay, let's try another one. Me...Cat...Tree."
Him: "Tree and Truck"
Me, sighing deeply: "No, that's not right, either. Listen to the sound...etc."

This went on for at least three blocks. Thinking maybe it was too challenging, I next asked him to tell me two words that rhymed. He said, "Far and Truck".

So then I said, "Okay...can you tell me a word that rhymes with cat?" Him: "Leaf"

At this point, getting impatient and suspicious, I said nonchalantly, "Well, I guess you're not old enough to play this game yet. Maybe we'll try again when you're four."
Him: "Mat and cat"

That little turkey.

Later at dinner he said, "Did it make you mad when I wasn't playing the rhyming game with you?" (!)
Me: "No, but it did make me not want to play with you. I think you were doing that because it makes you feel like you're in charge, that you're the boss of the game. Is that why you do that?"
His face lit up like a light bulb and he said, "Yeah!"
I pity his future teachers.

He did say something really cute today on the way to the zoo. He said that when he grows up he wants to be an Army guy and that he's going to be my daddy. I told him that was nice but that I already have a daddy and also that he will always be my son, not my dad. He then said, "Well, I'll be an extra daddy for someone whose daddy is lost."

The zoo was crowded with summer day camp kids, but we still had fun. Andi really bonked her noggin at the petting zoo area. She tripped over the stroller and hit her head on the fence, leaving an instant black-and-blue mark. She cried hard, poor kid. Her favorite was feeding the goats...she gets a huge thrill out of that. Nicholas liked the whales best, and I liked the monkeys and the tapir.